Converging Paths
by Casa Circe
Summary: ESCAFLOWNE WEEK 2016 Day Eight: Home / Fate. Eries helps Celena settle into her new life and suggests a trip outside Asturia. Merle and Hitomi have an impromptu reunion on the road to Fanelia.
1. Chapter 1

**ESCAFLOWNE WEEK 2016, Day 8: HOME / FATE**

 _ **Converging Paths**_

 **NOTE:**

 **It's the last day of Escaflowne Week and what a ride it's been!**

 **Once again, there were so many possibilities for these prompts and since this is the last day, I came up with a two-chapter story. This first one will feature Celena and Eries and the next one will focus on Merle and Hitomi.**

 **I've always been fascinated by the relationship Eries and Celena would have post-war. Since Allen entrusted his sister to the princess, I am pretty sure the two ladies would develop a strong bond and I wish we could have seen some of that.**

 **These little stories can stand on their own but can also be related to the previous entries for the week. I never had an overarching plot for all seven entries so whatever connections there are between the stories came about unintentionally.**

 **Hope you like this!**

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Eries Aston turned the page of the book she was currently engrossed in. Draconian lore had always fascinated her but she had been too busy to devote enough time to studying it. But recently she finally had some more free time to herself and she was making the most of it, as evidenced by several volumes of recently read Draconian lore.

But it wasn't exactly leisure time for her. While learning the history and mythology of the Draconians, she was also fulfilling another responsibility, recently conferred upon her. She would glance occasionally out the window, her eyes seeking a particular person.

After a quick at the clock on the wall of the royal library, she walked towards one of the large, glass doors that opened into a small balcony, and while still keeping her eyes on the page of the book, in one graceful movement, she extended her arm and unlocked the door.

"Thank you, princess," greeted the slim figure who entered the room quickly.

Eries nodded, still focusing on her book. "I trust your little excursion was enjoyable," the princess remarked calmly.

"Very much so," replied a cheerful Celena Schezar, finding a chair and settling down to catch her breath, "the palace gardens are as beautiful as ever."

"This is the best time of year to see them," Eries remarked serenely.

"And they did not disappoint," Celena replied, "Thank you again for allowing me to explore them on my own. I fear my brother would not have been so lenient."

Eries marked the page and closed her book before looking at her young companion. "It's not so much a matter of leniency," she explained, "Make no mistake, I was able to monitor your movements from here. The library offers an excellent vantage point."

"I figured as much," said Celena, "but I am grateful all the same that you did not feel the need to accompany me everywhere."

"You need some freedom, Celena," Eries said gently, "After growing up with two headstrong sisters, I know that much."

Celena grinned at her and Eries was pleased to see the girl in such good spirits. It had taken some time before Celena overcame her shyness and general disorientation with her world. Having been away for so long, she struggled to get her bearings. But with gentle encouragement and support from Allen and Eries, the young woman was soon able to adjust to her new life.

Eries had sensed Celena's restlessness, something all to familiar to the princess. She knew that the girl no longer wanted to be watched and guarded like a small child but needed room to find her own way in the world. And while Eries was not about to grant her complete freedom, she knew that she had to trust Celena.

And so she had also been rewarded with Celena's trust. The girl had grown at ease in her company and had been glad to find a confidante. Eries enjoyed spending time with Celena as well, finding the girl a lively and intelligent companion. And her allowing Celena certain, limited freedoms only strengthened their own bond.

"I received a letter recently," the princess said, taking a folded piece of paper from her book, "with an offer that I think would be interesting for you."

"Really? What is it?" Celena asked curiously.

"An invitation," Eries explained, "for both of us to visit Fanelia."

Celena's eyes widened at the mention of this country. She was well aware of her complicated history with Fanelia, particularly of Dilandau's involvement in that land's destruction. And though she had played no part in that, she always felt slightly guilty about it. But she had also always been fascinated by the land and its people. She had also been eager to explore the world beyond Asturia, to expand her horizons as best as she could.

Eries knew this much and she reassured Celena that King Van was similarly acquainted with her situation. The invitation was made in good faith.

"He knows that whatever Dilandau did has nothing to do with you," Eries told her, "and since you are Allen's sister, he would like to strengthen ties of friendship between his family and yours."

"I'm not sure," Celena said doubtfully, "What do you think, Princess?"

"I think that you could benefit from the experience," Eries replied earnestly, "a change of scene would do you good, and Fanelia is a truly beautiful place to visit. And I know how eager you have been to see it."

Celena looked enticed by the idea but remained hesitant.

"I know it must feel strange for you," Eries continued, "but I think that you must at least consider it."

Celena nodded and gave the idea some thought for some moments. Eries did not press her.

Fanelia. From what she had heard, Celena knew that much of the damage caused by the war had already been repaired and the peaceful kingdom was enjoying a period of renewal and prosperity.

She had longed to see it for herself, not just for its natural beauty or fascinating culture. Some part of her had always felt that by going there, she might make amends, in a way, for what Dilandau had done. By making peace with Van Fanel, she might be able to let go of some of the guilt and shame that had burdened her since she had returned to herself. And while she knew that she and Dilandau were two completely separate beings, she could not help but feel somewhat responsible for him. This was her chance to bring peace where he had brought only ruin.

Perhaps visiting Fanelia was not such a bad idea, after all.

"You would come with me?" she asked Eries shyly.

The princess smiled at her. "Of course," Eries replied, "I haven't had a holiday in long time. And it would be refreshing to visit another country without any official business. There are also certain things I'd like to discuss with Lord Van."

"I suppose it would be a shame not to take this opportunity to see more of the world," Celena admitted, "I've been away for so long so it's time to make up for lost time. "

"Then, it's settled," Eries said with conviction, "I will begin the preparations immediately. We can leave at the earliest convenience."


	2. Chapter 2

**ESCAFLOWNE WEEK 2016, Day 8: HOME / FATE**

 _ **Converging Paths**_

 **NOTE:**

 **Here is the second and last chapter of this story. Again, it can be taken in relation to my other entries or it can stand alone.**

 **And these two chapters may also be the prologue/opening scenes from a longer story that I have in my head but am not sure if I'm ever actually going to write. So there's that.**

 **For Merle's travels, I consulted a map of Gaea as best as I could. As much as she and Hitomi bickered in the series, I believe they both grew on each other as the story progressed and they ended up friends. And it's this friendship that I wished we could have seen more of on the show. But then, that's what fanfiction is for.**

 **I noticed that all my entries for Escaflowne week have focused on a female character's POV. It wasn't planned, I just really love the ladies of this show. And in the end, I decided to just go for it and make all the stories female-centric and it was a lot of fun.**

 **All in all, this first Escaflowne week was a great experience and I'm glad I managed to post something every day.**

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Merle felt her heart swell as she saw the outline of the Fanelian mountains. She would have to pass through the woods but it would not take her long to reach the first town. Already, the land beneath her feet felt familiar.

She was home.

It was strange, returning to her homeland after more than a year of traveling on her own. But after all her adventures, there was nothing quite like returning to her roots. She had never been away from Fanelia for such an extended period of time and there were moments when she had almost regretted leaving. But it had been her choice to seek out adventure in the wide world and she had gained more experience than she could have ever dreamed of.

And then, she decided it was time for her to return home. Seeing it before her now, she realized just how much she had missed everything, from mountains and rivers, the familiar landscape, the sounds and smells that she had grown up with, and all the people who she would soon be seeing. There were so many stories to share with them and she was looking forward to doing so, to be surrounded once more by her family.

The cat-girl began to walk quicker along the path, eager to cover as much ground as she could before dark. Already she was walking with a lighter step, her spirits rising as she moved forward. She was already gathering the memories that she would share with Van and the others, tales of her many adventures beyond Fanelia's borders. And although she had written to her dearest friend as often as she could, she knew that nothing would compare to a live re-telling of her stories.

She had travelled to so many parts of Gaea. It was astounding how far she was able to reach, whether on her own or with the help of friends. She visited the coasts of Daedalus and then crossed to Cesario. She passed by Asturia where she was welcomed by her friends there and was even a guest of Princess Millerna. She then managed a few trips to Egzardia and Basram before proceeding to Freid to once again be a guest of the young Duke. And then, after exploring so much of Gaea, she slowly made her way back to Fanelia.

So there she was, older and hopefully a bit wiser, after being away for so long. She was a different person from the one who had restlessly longed for adventure and though she was by no means finished with that life, she felt that she needed to go home first. There had been something missing in her life no matter where she went, and she knew that this could only be found in Fanelia.

.

.

.

There was a flash of bright light and Merle raised her hands to shield her eyes form the glare. It was over in a moment and once the cat-girl hard recovered, she found herself face to face with an old friend.

"Hitomi?" she asked incredulously.

The girl blinked and then the moment of recognition came. She ran towards the still stunned cat-girl and through her arms around her.

"Merle!" cried Hitomi excitedly, "It's so good to see you again!"

Merle returned the gesture enthusiastically. "I can't believe it," she cried, "You're really here! This is amazing!"

They broke apart and stared at each other, both marveling at this unexpected reunion. Merle noticed that the Mystic Moon girl's hair had grown longer and she was wearing something different from her attire the last time she had been there, a dark, long-sleeved blouse, and trousers. She also carried a large bag with her but not the same one as last time.

"So, are you really…" Merle asked hesitantly, "…back?"

Hitomi nodded. "This isn't an accident, this time. It's my choice."

"And do you mean to stay?" Merle asked.

"Yes," Hitomi replied, "I had begun to feel out of place in my own world. I was lonely and unhappy and then I realized that despite everything, this is where I belong."

Merle stared at her in awe but saw that Hitomi was being perfectly serious. The cat-girl was well aware of the main inducement for Hitomi to return to Gaea and she was glad. She would finally see Van truly happy again.

"That's great news," said Merle with a grin, "Believe it or not but I missed you!"

"So did I!" Hitomi replied earnestly.

"And there's another person who will be eager to see you, of course," Merle said slyly.

Hitomi blushed. "I'm sure you understand why I had to come back."

Merle nodded. "It's good to have you back."

"Thank you," replied Hitomi, "And look at you! What have you been up to?"

"It's a long story," Merle answered, already eager to share it with her friend.

"Well, then," Hitomi said, taking the cat-girl's arm affectionately, "it looks like we have a lot of catching up to do."

Merle and Hitomi walked the final stretch to Fanelia together, sharing their stories, and eagerly looking forward to a very special homecoming.


End file.
